Rs 515 cr allocated for cybersecurity programs for the year 2022-23: Rajeev Chandrasekhar

India has emerged as one of the world’s largest connected nations, with over 80 crore Indians presently connected (using the Internet and cyberspace) and the number is expected to touch 120 crore in the coming few years, hence, the need for secure and safe cyberspace is the need of the hour. For this, the government of India has spent Rs 809.58 crore during 2019-20 to 2021-22. Also, an amount of Rs 515 crore is allocated for cybersecurity programs for the year 2022-23, said Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology & Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MeitY). MeitY is also implementing a project entitled ‘Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Project Phase II,’ with an outlay of Rs 96.08 crore, with the objectives of capacity building in the area of information security, training of Government personnel and creation of mass information security awareness for various users, the minister added.

While releasing a frequently asked questions (FAQs) document on cybersecurity in New Delhi today, Chandrasekhar stated, “Online safety, online trust and online accountability are important for policy objectives of our government and our duty to the citizens in digital nagriks of India. In that context, the government has over the last many years undertaken many initiatives and spent considerable amounts of money to create an atmosphere of safety and trust and to address cyber security online.”

A total of 78,021 candidates have been trained or are undergoing training in various formal/non-formal courses in Information Security through 52 institutions, the minister highlighted. Further, 5 technical universities participating under the project have reported around 2.74 lakh candidates as trained/ undergoing training in formal courses in their respective affiliated colleges. 22,881 government personnel have been trained in the area of Information Security through direct/e-learning/VILT mode, which inter-alia includes 10,045 government personnel of Central Ministries/Departments. So far, 1,360 awareness workshops have been conducted across the country, covering 2,44,883 participants and 1,24,086 school teachers trained as Master Trainers in 41 training programmes. Around 5.75 crore estimated beneficiaries have been impacted through indirect mode, the minister stated.

“The point I want to make is cybersecurity, online safety, online trust and secure cyberspace are very important objectives, and very important goals for a country like ours, which is aspiring to a trillion-dollar economy and 120 Crore Indians online. A large number of initiatives have been undertaken and the cybersecurity directions are one piece of an overall strategy to creating secure cyberspace,” added Chandrasekhar.

As the Internet is being used for business, education, finance and myriad other applications and services, including digital government services, it is the government of India’s policy goal to ensure that Indian Internet users experience a safe & trusted Internet. Cyber Security Directions are a part of the overall framework for ensuring online safety and trust for users, the minister further said.

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